God' Prophets Demand Justice
Advocates of Justice for All
God Demands Justice
Jeremiah 16:9-13 The Message
9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says, “Watch this! I’m about to banish smiles and laughter from this place. No more brides and bridegrooms celebrating. And I’m doing it in your lifetime, before your very eyes.
10-13 “When you tell this to the people and they ask, ‘Why is God talking this way, threatening us with all these calamities? We’re not criminals, after all. What have we done to our God
to be treated like this?’ tell them this: ‘It’s because your ancestors
left me, walked off and never looked back. They took up with the
no-gods, worshiped and doted on them, and ignored me and wouldn’t do a
thing I told them. And you’re even worse! Take a good
look in the mirror—each of you doing whatever you want, whenever you
want, refusing to pay attention to me. And for this I’m getting rid of
you, throwing you out in the cold, into a far and strange country. You
can worship your precious no-gods there to your heart’s content. Rest
assured, I won’t bother you anymore.’
The
first generation that falls into sin fails. The second generation has
acclimated to that failure and is unaware of the sin. They have few points
of contrast in their lives. God offers an interpretation of their
lives apart from God that provides such a comparison. Banishment and
estrangement will cause them to realize the suffering they have brought
onto themselves. God will let their sin become their punishment. They
will get little pleasure, little joy, from their sin. They will become
as sick of worshiping false gods as they were fond of them. Their
illusion of peace, comfort and joy will be dashed upon the rock of
disillusionment. Not abiding in God eventually makes life intolerable.
Pray
Pray
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